Accel World: Crimson Storm Princess

by Reki Kawahara

  What is the best way for him to act? Normally in this situation how is a man suppose to choose as best selection?

  While steam puffed from his ears, Haruyuki tried to spin his overloaded thoughts. In this type of game or anime, for this kind of scene usually the man went to ask how the bath water was, and «something» made him stumble into the bathroom. Then buckets, shampoo and things will be thrown at him to drive him away.

  ‘Then, me doing that would be an optimized solution.’

  Haruyuki stood right up and turned towards the bathroom. In his brain, there already floated an event graphic where Kuroyukihime and Niko washed each other wearing just bubbles.

  However unfortunately, or in other words fortunately, right before he opened the living room door, he heard two sets of footsteps heading there. Haruyuki teleported at light speed to the sofa and sat down properly.

  After the knob’s violent turn, Niko jumped in first shouting ‘ice ice!’ and ran to the kitchen. Haruyuki turned around in reaction to the loose sweatshirt and shortpants rough shape, this time his eyes met Kuroyukihime’s.

  It must be the one she bought in the shopping mall that evening, she was wearing a light pink pajama. Her head tilted, drying her shining hair with a towel, that shape is different from her normally all black clothing that rejected others, she stood there unbelievably defenseless and lovely, Haruyuki could only watch in a daze.

  “...Don’t stare so much. This color was the only size that fits.”

  As Kuroyukihime said that while looking away, Haruyuki finally snap back and shook his head hard left and right.

  “N, nooo way, m, matches nicely.”

  “I, I see. Isn’t it a bit childish?”

  “Absolutely not. Great. Perfect. Critical.”

  While sitting properly he stretched his back and desperately said up to there, from the side Niko showed her face while waving a popsicle in her right hand.

  “Hey, do you know, Silver Crow?”

  “Wh... what about?”

  “This girl, even looking like that, after she is naked, is unexpectedly sugofuu”

  The end of those words was messed up by Kuroyukihime’s unsparing one hit.

  She then held the Red King’s neck from behind, and laughed generously.

  “There, you should hurry and use the bathroom. The bath water will get cold.”

  Looking at Niko who collapsed, Haruyuki gave a scream in his mind and jumped off the sofa.

  “Y, yes, then excuse me, I will go take a bath! There’s barley tea and things in the fridge so feel free, I am off!”

  That night turned out to be a late night Z type retro game spree night.

  Sitting around the large game hardware from 40 years ago, with excited shouts they massacred creatures in the flat screen, Haruyuki still continued to think a little about if that was really real.

  ‘- These people and me, are basically connected to each other through a VR game called Brain Burst. That’s why their relationship is online, that is net based, it should be recognized like that.

  Certainly, I love Kuroyukihime senpai, and she said she love me too. However, the intermediary of those feelings were usually quantum signals exchanged through the Neuro Linker. Their relationship is mostly made up of vector data, he thought it was fine like that.

  But today, they made dinner and ate it together in my home, took turns to bath, and now are sitting a few 10cm or so from each other, feeling each other’s body heat.

  This world - the separation between real and virtual is infinitely thin, in a world where information from your five senses are hard to distinguish which are analog and which are digital, this is what would happen? Things like «Offline human relationship», how do I capture and recognize it? So far in the offline world, all I had been doing was run away, hide, and huddle.’

  His thinking that went round and round, was covered by a flashy scream from a huge boss monster in the screen.

  At the same time, Niko let go of her controller and lay down backwards.

  “Ah... I can’t take it anymore. Sleepy. Sleepyyy!”

  “That’s why I said, children should hurry... Fuwa...”

  Kuroyukihime also covered her mouth with her left hand, letting out a refined yawn.

  Since his Neuro Linker was taken off, he looked at the clock on the wall, it was past midnight.

  “Th, then, we should sleep. Let’s see... Yuniko-cha, not that, Niko is fine with the sofa today too right. So, senpai please use my mother’s bedroom. Ah, but the heat wasn’t on for a while so it might be cold...”

  Haruyuki said till there, then Niko interrupted loudly.

  “Never mind, too troublesome. Just bring out blankets, I will sleep here... it’s fine...”

  Then, she buried her head in a huge cushion, and closed her eyes quickly.

  “Un, that’s fine with me too. Sleeping together around game software, is truly a historical experience... or not...”

  Kuroyukihime too lay down onto a cushion.

  ‘Whattt - .’

  What he was thinking was, he would not be able to imitate «carry both to bed», so he did as told and took out some blankets. He used them to cover the already sleeping Niko and Kuroyukihime, and thought ‘now then’.

  ‘Should I be sleeping in my own room?

  But, with both guests sleeping on the floor, wouldn’t it be bad manners for me to sleep in a bed? Here, shouldn’t I sleep on the floor as well for fairness? Isn’t that what a gentleman should do?’

  After his own suggested justification, Haruyuki turned the ceiling lights to the lowest level, and slowly became round there. The floor was slightly warm from the buried heating pipes, the large semi-fluid cushion was fluffy soft - and within hand reach distance, was extremely nice smell.

  ‘There’s no way I can sleep in this situation!’, while thinking like that, Haruyuki closed his eyes under the blanket.

  However strangely, in exchange of tension, a mysterious peace covered Haruyuki, and his consciousness slowly fell into the gentle darkness.

  Deep in the night, Haruyuki woke up just once.

  He stood up thinking of going to the toilet, and look around casually, in the dim lighting and blue white moonlight, there was an unexpected scenery.

  Niko and Kuroyukihime who were supposed to be one meter apart, some unknown time ago, had fallen between two cushions and were sleeping soundly.

  Furthermore, Niko had her face buried in Kuroyukihime’s chest, her right hand holding tightly on to the pajama fabric.

  And also, Kuroyukihime had her arms around Niko’s red head like she was holding her.

  That scene, before he was surprised by it, his heart was moved by something and Haruyuki opened his eyes wide.

  «Red King» and «Black King». They are level 9 Burst Linkers chained with a special rule of sudden death.

  Those two spent an unknown amount of time in the accelerated world and fought many fights to the death. What they were looking forward to, Haruyuki could not imagine. However he could say this. If they both aimed for level 10, someday they will have to fight. To defeat other Kings, is how a King moves forward.

  But.

  Tonight, these two, with a coincidence brought together by complex situations, slept together in the real world like this. Just like at the bottom of their hearts, they wished for that.

  This is, this scene, is just one night’s illusion? An incidental miracle that won’t happen again?

  Or it could be - .

  Haruyuki at that moment captured a premonition that he had arrived at a very important something.

  However, the unknown feeling overwhelming his heart and the tears flowing out of his eyes, he could not put his thought into words accurately.

  So Haruyuki just stood there, looking at the girls sleeping soundly in the blue white moonlight, without being full no matter how long he continued.

  Chapter 4

  “Then, I will be going.”

  “I... I am leaving.”

  �
��Okay, have a nice trip... Ah.”

  To Kuroyukihime and Haruyuki’s farewells, Niko rubbed the side of her face lightly and then wrinkled her eyebrows.

  “...Hey. Isn’t this a bit weird?”

  “Nn, what is?”

  “No... even if you ask what is...”

  While Niko crossed her arms and started thinking, Kuroyukihime shrugged her shoulders lightly and said.

  “Strange girl. Instead of that, I will leave the details of today’s battle plan to you. «Chrome Disaster»’s appearing location and time specifics, you have no problem with that?”

  “Y, yea. Leave it to me.”

  “Umu. Then, I will be going.”

  “I... I am leaving.”

  “Okay, have a nice trip... Ah.”

  Then she closed the door and after backing off a step, Kuroyukihime turned away.

  January 23rd, Friday 7:30AM.

  Up till now, the situation was similar to the many «going to school» moments he had daily. The grey light shining in the apartment public hallway, his white breath in the cold air, were all the same as yesterday's.

  However just one thing was different - right beside him, wearing a neat Umesato middle school uniform with a blue ribbon tie, right hand holding a school regulation bag, and left hand carrying a shopping bag, a female student’s shape was there.

  Turning on her Neuro Linker and looking in the air, Kuroyukihime said casually.

  “Today will be cloudy, I hope it doesn’t rain. Then, let’s go.”

  “Y... yes.”

  He nodded, took his normal position to her left and slightly behind, and while walking, Haruyuki thought in a daze.

  ‘- Ah... this person, is my onee-san? And the one earlier, imouto?

  No no, this kind of specification should not exist in the real world. Going to school together with onee-san, like some antique novel game.

  As he shook his head slightly, the empty elevator came down, and he went in after his onee-san.

  ‘- Even if this was a game, with the girls being only «older sister» and «younger sister», that is not possible right?’

  With his brain that wasn’t working too well due to slight lack of sleep, he thought up to that point while spacing out, the elevator went down just two floors, and stopped on the 21st floor. Haruyuki backed up one step by reaction, to make space for people coming in.

  And then, after the door slid open, with an energetic jump inside, a similarly uniformed girl - «childhood friend» Kurashima Chiyuri’s eyes collided with his.

  ‘NO - .’

  As Haruyuki screamed in his mind, Chiyuri’s large cat-like eyes blinked and a big smile appeared on her face.

  “Ah, Haru, morning! How come today you are so early... wh... wha...!?”

  However, once she recognized the person standing to the right side behind Haruyuki, her voice and expression changed abruptly. From relaxed, passed through surprise, then approaching right before an eruption.

  “...Haru? What’s this?”

  With her eyeballs jerking, Chiyuri whispered.

  In contrast to the totally solidified Haruyuki, Kuroyukihime greeted her lightheartedly.

  “Ya, morning, Kurashima-kun.”

  “Ah, g..good morning.”

  After she bowed in reflex, Chiyuri grabbed hold of Haruyuki’s necktie and shouted.

  “What’s going on!!”

  “...It, it’s not what you think.”

  While Haruyuki shook his head, he used his hand behind him to start the Mailer program, asking help from the only person who could resolve this situation. That is, “Taku, I need help badly”.

  “What isn’t what I think!!”

  When more of the tough interrogation was about to continue, the elevator finally reached the first floor and the door opened. Haruyuki took hold of Chiyuri’s shoulders, and turned her half way around.

  “Th, there, let’s go to school! Let’s take classes, let’s return home and forget about this during the weekend.”

  “Hey, don’t change the topic!”

  He kept pushing the shouting Chiyuri’s shoulders from behind, passing between the wide eyed residents in the lobby and somehow exited to the front courtyard when a helpful sound came from behind.

  “M... morning, Chii-chan. Morning, Haru. Mo... rn...”

  At that point Takumu also, his glasses fell down slightly, as he intently stared at Kuruyukihime's clear face.

  “...Good morning, master.”

  Then somehow, after reading his email and coming in a full dash, his comrade murmured to Haruyuki while blowing out large clouds of white breath in the cold morning air.

  “...Haru. You seem like someone who likes stepping on tiger’s tails.”

  “I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.”

  After replying, he turned the still yelling ‘Explain it!’ Chiyuri toward Takumu then released his hands from her shoulders.

  Just like Takumu, he said to Chiyuri with a calm voice.

  “Chii-chan, I was at Haru’s house yesterday too.”

  “Wha...? What does that mean?”

  Facing the suspicious face of a childhood friend and able to voice a clear explanation; that kind of smooth speech, Haruyuki could not imitate.

  “A little problem dealing with that application occurred. We used Haru’s house as a conference room. But it got late and if a middle school student walking at that time was captured by the social camera, it would be troublesome. So without any choice, senpai had to stay over at Haru’s house. Isn’t that right?”

  To Kuroyukihime who was asked that, fortunately she dutifully nodded.

  “Well, that’s what happened. Don’t need to be strangely suspicious, Kurashima-kun.”

  “...”

  Chiyuri continued to be silent with a complex expression for a few seconds - .

  Eventually, she said with a low tone.

  “Again, that. Brain... Burst?”

  She looked at the three who nodded together, then puffed up her cheeks.

  “Somehow, I am not convinced! That’s just a game right? Then, why would you talk for so many hours about it!”

  “It... it’s a game, but not just any game.”

  After looking around the wide apartment courtyard to make sure no one else was around, Haruyuki continued.

  “I have told you before... that accelerated thinking and creating a different world from this one. That’s why, similar to reality, many problems occur...”

  “...Muu.”

  Chiyuri’s lips became sharp, and she murmured while looking unsatisfied.

  “I do not believe that in the first place. Even if you say accelerate or whatever, I can’t imagine it. ...Then...I got it. If you let me see it, I will accept it.”

  “Huh?”

  To the wide eyed Haruyuki, Chiyuri said it like it was nothing.

  “That game, can be copied and installed right? Let me have it too. Then I too will become, what was that, that... «Burst Linker».”

  “Wha... whattt - !?”

  That shout, came not only from Haruyuki but from Takumu and Kuroyukihime as well.

  And then all three held their right hand in front of their face and waved it left and right.

  “Im... impossible. Absolutely impossible.”

  Haruyuki who leaked that truthfully, his round cheeks were pinched by Chiyuri.

  “What’s that! Just hand it over!”

  “No, I told you... that game needs aptitude.”

  “I won’t understand that till I try!”

  “But you are... ultra bad.”

  At that moment, Chiyuri’s cat-like eyes shone.

  “I see... you have the nerve. I get it, you will see! I will train too, and win over Haru and Taku in games!”

  “Wha... whattt!?”

  Haruyuki opened his mouth wide and saw a look of challenge shining in Chiyuri’s eyes. This, he often saw when he played with Chiyuri in the past, is the «won’t turn back after saying it» face.

  Wh
ile pulling Haruyuki’s cheeks to the limit like a flat rice cake - .

  “After that, let me copy that Burst something!!”

  After saying that she let go of Haruyuki’s cheeks, stuck her tongue out for a ‘Be -’, then the similarly aged childhood friend ran away at a tremendous speed.

  “...Training huh.”

  Haruyuki murmured that while rubbing his cheeks, then turned toward Takumu beside him.

  Then, he bowed deeply.

  “Sorry, Taku. I made you lie to Chiyu.”

  Earlier, Takumu’s explanation to Chiyuri was not 100% the truth. When Kuroyukihime announced that she would stay over, the meeting was already finished.

  Takumu smiled and slowly shook his head.

  “...It’s okay.”

  His expression was calm, but Haruyuki felt that it contained some self-deprecation, so he bit his lips lightly. Then, Kuroyukihime too said in a caring voice.

  “Takumu-kun. Asking might be an intrusion... you and Kurashima-kun, still... that is...”

  “Being back to normal...will take a long time.”

  Takumu shrugged and looked towards the street tree canopy that had lost all its leaves.

  “I did a lot of things. Or more like, we might never return to being boyfriend and girlfriend again. But... if it’s part of Chii-chan’s wish for me to be at her side, I think just that is fine.”

  “Taku...”

  Haruyuki tried to find the words he should say, however just at important moments, his throat was stuck. On his behalf, Kuroyukihime’s quiet voice said.

  “If... you feel burdened, or if it interferes with your relationship with Kurashima-kun, you can erase it... the Brain Burst.”

  Takumu’s eyes opened wide instantly.

  However, he soon greatly shook his head left and right.

  “No. I still, to you... and to Haru too, need to make amends for.”

  “Y... you don’t have to. There’s nothing like that, Taku.”

  This time, he said in reaction.

  “I don’t desire any amends from you. Senpai should be the same. Brain Burst does not exist for that reason... that is, that software is...”